Rein's first real test came when he ran into a small cluster of dragons in the Blackstone Mountains. Surely, they were neither the largest nor the fiercest, but they were big enough to make a statement. For days he watched them, studying their habits and learning their weaknesses.
Then one day, he let his presence be felt. A wall of fire issued from his hand and engulfed the dragons where they stood. Their roars echoed in the night as they tried to make an escape. But they had little chance.
One by one, they fell, staining the earth with their blood. When the last one fell, Rein was left standing; victorious yet with no surge of joy. Instead, he felt an unsettling emptiness in his chest. Was this how he'd envisioned it?